Indiana State had a simple selling point to senior linebacker Jayden Everett.

Come to Terre Haute, Ind., and play right away or go to a bigger program and have to fight for playing time.

After playing two years at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kan., Everett chose Indiana State rather than the likes of Baylor and Ball State for a chance to contribute immediately.

The 6-foot, 215-pound Everett had 61 tackles last year and is the team’s leading tackler this year with 26.

However, Everett hasn’t come close to the team success he experienced at Coffeyville during his time at Indiana State.

The Sycamores come into Saturday’s night game against Eastern (1-2) with an 0-3 record.

“I think once we get that monkey off our back, we’ll get rolling,” Everett said.

The monkey is pretty large by now.

Under third-year head coach Lou West, Indiana State is 1-24. ISU beat Missouri State 28-22 last season for West’s only win.

ISU’s roster is young, not only in terms of years in school, but also years at the school. Only five of the Sycamores 18 seniors on this year’s team originally signed with the school out of high school.

Add in the fact the team is employing a new 3-3-5 defensive scheme with first-year coordinator Steve Barrows, the program is still in the rebuilding phase.

“When I took the job I knew it would take more than three years to turn it around,” West said. “This year we have to show it around and turn it into a positive direction.”

The switch in defensive tactics appeared to work last week.

But the offense didn’t produce enough points in a 13-10 loss to Southeast Missouri.

ISU had three fumbles in the game and lost all three.

SEMO head coach Tony Samuel said if ISU didn’t turn the ball over, the game would have been different.

“A couple of them we capitalized on their mistakes and they didn’t capitalize on ours,” he said. “But they battled for four quarters.”

Eastern senior wide receiver Micah Rucker will have a new starting quarterback throwing him the ball this game with Bodie Reeder taking over for Cole Stinson.

With ISU’s 3-3-5 defense, which has the potential to blitz on every play with three linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs in the primary coverage, Rucker said he’s not quite sure what to expect.

“I want to sit here and say I hope they run that 3-3-5, with just that one safety in the middle of the field, but you never know,” he said. “I’m just getting my mind ready for anything. I expect to go out and have a good game no matter what quarterback is playing.”

The focal point of ISU’s offense is senior quarterback Reilly Murphy. Murphy, a transfer from Grossmont College in El Cajon, Calif., poses a dual threat to Eastern’s defense. Murphy is 46-of-88 for 497 yards passing with two touchdowns and four interceptions. He is also ISU’s leading rusher with 91 yards on 37 carries.

But West said Murphy needs to improve his decision-making.

“Simple things like whether to throw it, run it or throw it out of bounds,” he said.

Eastern senior linebacker Matt Westrick is familiar with Murphy’s play. The two were teammates at Grossmont and were on the 2005 team that won the national championship.

“He throws very well on the run,” Westrick said. “He’s also probably their best athlete on offense. He’s dynamic with the pass-run, which is tough because you have to honor the running game when he sets up so it’s not just the pass game.”

Eastern defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni said after watching film of this year’s ISU team, it is clear the Sycamores offense has expanded.

“They’re motioning guys all over the field trying to create some mismatches and confusion for the defense,” he said. “They’ve added some plays that they didn’t do last year. It seems like they have some new plays every week that they haven’t shown yet. So I’m sure we’ll see something we’re not prepared for.”

Bellantoni said most of Murphy’s running yards have come because of his scrambling abilities, not designed run plays. Illinois State quarterback Luke Drone converted several third down plays last Saturday on designed quarterback draws.

Even with all the changes to the Sycamores system, and the recent losing ways of the program, Eastern head coach Bob Spoo said none of that matters when the two rivals meet.

“In my 21years (at Eastern), I can’t remember too many blowouts in this game,” he said. “We need to take care of ourselves and prepare properly. But at the same time, have a genuine respect for those guys and what can happen if we’re not ready to play.”

Notes: Eastern’s projected starting running back for this year is healthy enough to play for the first time this year. How much junior Norris Smith, last year’s backup to Vincent Webb Jr., or even if he’ll play Saturday is unclear.

Smith tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee last April during spring practice. He ran for 656 yards and six touchdowns last year for the Panthers.

He was just cleared earlier this week to start practicing with the team.

“I don’t think he necessarily needs to get in there,” Spoo said. “We’ve got three other guys who are very capable. But we’ll see. There’s still a possibility of a red-shirt season there if we don’t need him.”

Smith said the injury takes usually eight months to a year to fully heal. But because he had worked out four to five days a week for two hours each day, the recovery process sped up.

“I didn’t plan on coming back to play until at least October,” he said. “But seeing those boys play out here, it made me want to come back even more.”

Smith did not have surgery and said with this type of injury, exercise and rehabilitation was all he needed.

He said he’s anxious to contribute once he steps on the field, but realizes he does have some limitations with his running ability.

“When I’m cutting I’m 100 percent,” he said. “It’s when I’m sprinting I’m like 75-80 percent. I don’t have no worries when it comes to me re-injuring it. The only thing I’m worried or nervous about is me and that ball in my hand and what I’m going to do with it.”

This is the 81st meeting between the two schools that are separated only by 45 miles. The Panthers lead the series 39-37 with 4 ties . Indiana State special teams and secondary coach Edmund Jones is in his first year on West’s staff. He coached at Eastern from 2000-03. Jones’ son, E.J., was one of four Minnesota football players kicked off the team in mid-July following a sexual assault investigation . ISU defensive coordinator Steve Barrows was the quarterbacks coach at Bethany College in Bethany, W. Va., when Eastern offensive coordinator Jorge Munoz was the quarterback at Bethany from 1996-98.

Additional Fact Box info:

When: 5 p.m. CST

Where: Memorial Stadium in Terre Haute, Ind.

ISU head coach: Lou West (1-23 in three years at ISU and overall)

EIU head coach: Bob Spoo (120-100-1 in 20 years at EIU and overall)

Directions from Charleston:

-Turn right onto Illinois Route 16 by Charleston High School

-Follow Route 16 for approximately 10 miles

-Merge onto Interstate 70 East

-Follow Interstate 70 East for approximately 31 miles

-Take the third Terre Haute exit (Highway 46)

-Turn right onto Highway 46 North and go approximately two miles to Wabash Ave.

-Turn left onto Wabash Ave. and travel approximately one mile to Brown Ave.

-Memorial Stadium is located on the northeast corner of Wabash and Brown

-Trip should take 45 minutes to an hour from Charleston